This is a hard place to rate as I'm not quite sure which category to rate it against. to me, it's a…read morevery casual wine bar with great wine. I tried the sparkling shiraz and it was simply wonderful! They serve a small selection of wine, cider and beer - you don't need lot's of options of they're really good choices - as well as simple snacks but nothing from a kitchen or any food off a menu. It's the perfect place to come for a relaxing drink by the water when visiting Goolwa. I suggest planning your next move if you need lunch or dinner though. they charged $10 entry on NYE to view the fireworks from here.

Great destination to have a relaxing afternoon with a fine wine and great staff. In addition you…read morehave fantastic views and parking is easy.

Honestly, this place deserved points simply for the gorgeous dog that seems to just wander around…read morehere. Then again, the dog aside (which is hard to ignore mind you, especially since it seems to be perpetually hungry), they also have some absolutely awesome beers here, but then again it is a craft brewery. Yeah, they also do food, but once again most breweries also do that. This is certainly a little gem that happens to be incredibly popular.

One afternoon when heading on a joy ride to Normanville we passed through the charming historical…read moretown of Myponga. High on the old butter factory facade - a welcome beacon calling us within it's walls. A fluffy, smiling Samoyed face. Even better was the encouraging word that sealed the deal, 'brewery'! Smiling Samoyed Brewery has been lovingly transformed from it's former life as Myponga Brewery by husband and wife Simon Dunstone and Kate Henning. The charming rustic-styled barn opened in November 2012, and was listed in Adelaide Now's Top 10 Beer Gardens in December 2013. The namesakes act as the welcoming committee, usually lounging in the front gardens. Wrap around verandas provide a variety of seating styles for groups large & small, sun worshippers and the pink-prone. From the back verandah there is a panoramic view of the Myponga reservoir which hosts golden sunsets, swans and the occasional kangaroo. The brewery itself is visible from inside, through large picture windows, and it's produce available on tap, as take away, and on some of the most unique and hand made tasting paddles I've had the fortune to come across. All of the beers we tried were great. The Dark Ale has coffee and chocolate flavours and nice light hop bitterness to clean it up. The 12 Paws American Pale Ale has medium hop-bitterness with nice maltiness that makes it refreshing in the sun. The First Batch American Pale Ale had more floral notes, including banana flower. Wood fired pizzas laden with local produce, like Alexandrina Cheese, are the specialty here. The pizzas are a good size, with nice wood oven char on the crust but not too bubbled or charred. In true Italian style the toppings aren't overwhelmed by cheese making this a healthier than normal option. The woodfired pizzas are ably supported by tasting platters with the season's & region's finest, like Adelaide Hills avocados, metwurst, Alexandrina carraway Gouda, and salt & pepper calamari. All is fresh and flavoursome, the calamari crunchy, sweet and tender. Before or after dining & taking in the live music & views over the reservoir, take some time to wander through the old butter factory markets. There are books, antiques, tools, home made jams and crafts, hot chilli sauces, an art gallery and local eggs.

Set in the world famous McLaren Vale, the aptly named McLaren Vale Beer Co. is set in a perfect…read morelocation amongst vineyards and between some of the worlds best wineries. Their tap house and kitchen makes delicious gourmet pub foods including wood oven pizzas, burgers and salads. But it is the setting that brings you here. I chose this place for my 25th birthday lunch amidst a wine tour and we were all impressed. The bright, rustic, unique and trendy interior brings a young crowd interested in boutique beers and local wines. The ales are refreshing and not too much and have won numerous awards around the country for taste and design. The wine cellar is small and rustic, but hey - you're here for the beer and the socialising!!

The McLaren Vale Beer company is certainly a favourite of mine to visit while in the region…read morenormally famous for its wines!! They produce around 5 beers - an indian pale ale, dark ale, lager, a new cider and their flagship Vale Ale. They are all very drinkable...and can be sampled in a paddle featuring small measures of them. Also available are the traditional pints, handles and stubbies for takeaway. The food served at cellar door is fantastic, a favourite side is always the Duck Fat Chips.... something very special. They are all reasonably priced for the area. They is plenty of parking here, but on busy periods its gets quickly filled up. There is an ample beer garden with some outdoor seats. A very nice place to visit after a few wines of just on its own!

Open to the public!…read more They have a really cool beer bar, the pirate behind the bar is eager to chat and educate us about beers and the reason behind them having canned beer instead of bottled! All the brewing action happens on site out the back. Try the tasting paddles. They have basic beer snacks available to purchase and filtered water to cleanse your palate between tastes. They also have coffee by common ground roasters and a merchandise area! Come check it out! x

It's a funny little brewery this one. It's a funny little business…read more They don't do food. Their beer is good, but not great. They are a long way away from anything. It's cold in Goolwa, and it reminds me of bland childhood holidays with my mother standing on hilltops with crossed arms staring wordless and grim into the icy wind, braced against the elements and the powerlessness of childhood. The fit out is nice, I suppose, and there are interesting beer facts plastered around the place which are educational if you're into that kind of thing. And yet I've been there many times. Why would one return to such a place? The Truffles. The Truffles is a "double-chocolate vanilla-bourbon porter" that was brewed by Thor whilst being ceaselessly fellated by a procession of the most physically gifted noblewomen of antiquity. It is the alpha and omega, all things to all men, the product of millennia of evolution and development, the pinnacle of human achievement. Helen of Troy is a cheap slag. The Truffles, in true Steam Exchange fashion, is rarely available on tap, always sold out, and no information exists as to when it is due to reappear. But when it does reappear each year, by jove, go and drink some. The Truffles makes all other shortcomings trivial. The Truffles gets five stars. It may just be as good as Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.

All aboard! Chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga…read more Set in a large warehouse style shed on the Goolwa marina, smack bang next to where the Steam Ranger docks every couple of hours, this working brewery and bar is worth a day's drive to get to. We walked in and headed straight for the small brewing and bottling facility at the back of the shed (aware we didn't want to look too eager to have a brew or two) for the educational bit first. They had stuff to read on the wall about how beer is brewed and the history of Steam Exchange brewery but it was all a bit too hard to concentrate on when we were bubbling with excitement to try some beer. The bar and ordering process is a tad confusing and service is very limited/not too knowledgeable. Maybe they don't have out-of-towners often? But they didn't really give us any options to do tastings, which beer to start with or anything. However, we eventually found out the following: - 110mL tastings are $2-3 - Schooners & pints are $6-9 There is a list on the bar and it is best to make your way down from Steam, to Indian and Dark Ale and then their specials at the time. And if it is on tap, you must have the truffle beer. You can't get these beers hardly anywhere in Adelaide by the bottle but you definitely can't ever get the truffle beer - as it is always sold out. A huge warning: This place doesn't have ANY food or toilets. You are welcome to bring your own food and needless to say after a tastings we were hoppy little vegemites and I went on the search for food. Don't go to the cafe on the marina, 5 minutes up the hill you can get take away wedges and burgers. 5 stars for the beer 2 stars for the lack of facilities, 4 stars for the atmosphere on a sunny day = 4 stars overall (trust me it does).

What a great little boutique brewery in McLaren Vale. They offer tastings for only $8 and you can…read moresample their 6 specialty beers. Start light and end in your heavier red ales. I am not a beer drinker and i made it through 4/6 before passing the rest over to my partner. Got to talk to the brewers, see where the magic happens in the huge vats whilst sipping your way through the beers. Dont miss this place out when you take a visit to McLaren Vale. Definitely worth the find.

I have heard nothing but good things about Ekhinda Wines. We stopped of here at lunch to grab a…read morebite to eat and I was dying to try out the cider and the ginger beer. We ordered the Ploughman's share platter between 3 of us and it was enough. It came with cold sliced meats like salami & ham, chargrilled chorizo, cheese, rocket salad and toasted ciabatta with a spicy tomato relish. The ginger beer is delish!!! Not as sweet as you would expect from a non-alcoholic ginger beer as it has wheaty overtones, but it was one of the best I've tried. And on a warm summers day it went down a treat. Can't wait to go back and stock out on more of the ginger beer. And try out more of the menu items. They all sounded mouthwatering.

Check out the ginger beer and the 50/50!!! An awesome winery/brewery!! This place is great to check…read moreout while on a wine trip or just with a few mates (don't volunteer to drive!!) on any day. While the tasting area is quite small and you will only get 5/6 at the counter we have crammed 20 ppl in before! The staff are very friendly and will tall you all about the wines and brews on offer. The highlight is when you get to the Ginger beer though....it really is something else!! You can buy both wines and the brews by the bottle to take away....of take a sit and admire the views with a pint of Ginger ale from the ice cold tap...or even a glass of wine!! Unfortunately i have never tasted the food here but i have seen dishes bought out and it looks mighty fine.... its on my list!!

I sort of took a wrong turn and ended up at this brewery. Well, that certainly turned out to be one…read moreof those delightful accidents because this brewery was pretty awesome. I have had some of their beers before, namely because I wandered into a bottle shop, but it was great to actually visit the brewery itself. Yeah, the beers are pretty awesome, and the service wasn't bad at all. It may be a bit of a trek to get to, but it is definitely worth it.

There is so much to brag about how wonderful prancing pony is, so I'll do my best to get it all…read moredown. Firstly, let me start with my slight hiccups. I came for a visit on a Saturday, it was quite busy, and the staff had asked if we had made a reservation. I suggest booking a table if you're planning a visit, especially on a weekend. The brewery has a great airy and open feel to it, a variety of tables and seating, and great decorations hanging about. There was a large variety of pub style to choose from, I opted for the nachos, although my friend wanted salad and was told that both salad options listed on the menu were no longer being offered. The best part, however, were the endless options of beers. They had a variety of selections on tap, a few ciders, and even cans and bottles to take home. I ordered the Zeppelin IPA and I loved it. Overall, I highly recommend paying this brewery a visit up in the hills, it was great.

It's a very interesting property to visit. It was an old hotel inn, purchased by Chris Norris and…read moreAnna Priamo over 20 years ago. It's their home and they turned it into a lifestyle accommodation, wedding/function venue, vineyard and of course restaurant. It's full of characters. Only just over an hour drive from Adelaide, great fresh food and veggies from their garden and local suppliers. Great wooden pizza, really enjoyed my rib eye steak, simple and tasty. Great in summer time. One tip: ring up first, they do like to enjoy their life too, so they don't open all the time or they might be booked for events etc.